COSine

Today is the first day of “COSine”:http://www.rialto.org/cosine/, a science fiction convention being sponsored by our club here in town. I volunteered to pick up our Guest of Honor, “Barbara Hambly”:http://www.barbarahambly.com/, at the airport. I have been reading her books since her first fantasy novel, The Time of the Dark, was published, and am looking forward to meeting her.

Enchanted Ceiling

Those who read my weblog have probably gathered that I like photos of the sky. EnchantedCeiling is a menagerie of skies collected by you and your internet neighbors. (“via J-Walk)”:http://j-walkblog.com/blog/.

Bathrooms, Bleh, Reprise

In Bathrooms, bleh I whined about painting our bathrooms. Last night, I finally finished Jack’s.

More than ordinary procrastination had kept me from finishing his bathroom. I had some joint aches this weekend, especially in my left thumb and elbow. Among other things, I thought the painting I did on Thursday might have caused them. (Fishing ice out of drinking buckets with my bare hands probably didn’t help.)
Continue reading Bathrooms, Bleh, Reprise

Houdini

Over the years, Hap has demonstrated a certain facility with opening latches, even the supposedly horse proof ones. He has learned to rattle them until they open. Taking him to overnight events was always a challenge as we had to decide whether we had to Hap-proof the accommodations.
Continue reading Houdini

Why Open Source Software / Free Software

I’ve been a supporter of OSS/FS for years, and used what I could even before I finally made the switch to GNU Linux this fall as my desktop operating system. This long article, Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS)? Look at the Numbers!, not only gives the standard reasons for migrating, but provides numerical support for doing so as well.

Do I think that desktop Linux is ready for the masses? Judging by one or two recent questions I have been asked by people (who unfortunately think of me as some sort of computer expert) I am not sure that Windows is ready for the masses.

Never Leave a Meeting Early

Never leave a meeting early when they are holding elections.

This coming weekend, the science fiction club to which Jack and I belong are sponsoring a science fiction convention called “COSine”:http://www.rialto.org/cosine/ here in Colorado Springs. Friday night, I attended the last COSine meeting before the con, but left before the business meeting of the club itself, which was holding annual meetings.

I was elected secretary of the club. I thought this was curious since I rarely attend more than one or two meetings a year. Jack explains that the plan is for someone to take minutes, which I will then put on the web. I actually had volunteered to maintain the club’s website.

I am reminded of WSFA in DC which was notorious for years for electing people as secretary and then never seeing them for the duration of their term. I think I broke this trend the year they elected me secretary.